Safety attachment for the suction-pipes of centrifugal pumps



v J. 0110mm. SAFETY ATTACHMENT-FOR THESUCHON PIPES 0F CENTRI'FUGAL PUMPS. APFLICA'HON FILED APR. 6, 1920. 1,372, 1 39, Patented Mar. 22; 1921..

[TA/8858 [MENTOR JCHogue.

rmhms 1M0 Hows; SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR THE SUCTION PTPES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS.

APPLTQATION FILED APR. 6! 1920.

1 ,372, 1 39. Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR A TTORNEYS I UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CORNELIUS HOGUE, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HAL! TO M. H.

PALMER, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

. SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR THE sucrron rrrns or cnn'rmruemn PUMPS.

. Application filed April 6, 1820. Serial No.371,708.

i To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that, I, JOHN C. Hoeun, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Attachments for the ugal Pumps, specification.

notion-Pipes of Centrifugal pumps and more particularly to safety devices, lief of back pressure or water hammer in case of clogging of the suction head, toprevent pump destruction, and a further object is the provision of a device which will allow of external connection of a priming device, with respect to the pump casing.

My invention is, in particular, applied to form a part of the suction or the intake line or pipe of a centrifugal pump, as I will presently describe, safety device, for instance as a relief valve in case of temporary clogging of the suction head. In such a case excess vacuum forms in the suction pipe so that when the clogged material loosens, the powerful inrush of. sand, gravel and water creates a pressure likely to burst the pump. My invention overcomes this by providlng a vent which will open under such circumstances to relieve the excess pressure and water hammer, and which will close when the excess pressure is relieved so as not to interfere in the normal operation of the pump. My invention also provides for the connection of a priming pipe with the suction line in order to avoid connection directly with the pump casing and rapid wear of the lining of the pump as at present, together with a valve arranged to relieve water hammer in the priming pipe as presently described.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side view illustrating the practical application of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the fitting provided by my inven tion for connection in the suction pipe,

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the relief valve of the priming pipe.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating application of the invention in use.

Referring now to these figures and par Specification of Letters Patent.

of which the following is a U i and the ad acent end of the suction pipe, in My invention relates generally to centrifmy object being the automatic reso as to act as an automatic.

. Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

ticularly to Fig. 1 I have shown a portion of a centrifugal pump at 10, the intake 11 of which is provided as usual with a suction pipe connecting flange 12 under ordinary circumstances connected directly to the flange 13 of the suction pipe 14. In accordance with m invention however a fitting is interposed between the pump intake the nature of a cylinder 15 of the diameter of the suctionpipe, with flanges 16 and 17 at itsopposite ends for connection to the pump, the intake flange 12 and the suction pipe flange l3respectively. The pump 10 is in the present instance, according to the showing of Fig. 5, of the overshot type, but it is quite obvious the invention is applicable to the undershot type of pump as well as to side dischar e pum s.

This cylindrical fitting 15 has at a point intermediate its ends a outlet tube 18, whose outer end is beveled to form an inclined seat for a flat cover 19 hinged at one point at 20 to the tube and provided with a spring 21 as seen in Fig. 2 which normally holds the cover in closed position.

In the normal operation of the pump, the vacuum within the suction pipe obviousl acts to maintain the cover 19 in closed position, but should it happen, as it frequently does where sand, gravel and water are bein pumped, that the suction head (not shown? becomes temporarily clogged, an excess vacuum is formed in the suction ipe which, when the suction head frees itse lf, causes a powerful inrush of sand, gravel at such a pressure that the pump is frequently broken. This pressure finds ready relief according to my invention through the outlet tube 18 and outwardly past the cover 19 which the pressure raises to open position against the tension of spring 21, so that the tube and its spring controlled cover form an effective safety valve to this extent. It is obvious that when the pressure is relieved the spring 21 will again close the cover 19 and the pump may thus steadily continue its action without shut down and without danger of destruction.

The cylindrical fittin 15 is also preferably provided with a t readed opening 22 for the reception of an angular pipe 23'connecting with and forming part of the priming pipe 24, the dead end 25 of the latter and water I avoid the necessity of forming an aperture in the pump casing which, in the usual construction results in frequent necessity of relining the pump on account of the action of sand and gravel in the opening. This pipeQt may receive its priming fiuid in any desired form and manner, for instance steam I suppliedifrom a boiler through a pipe 24 under control of a valve: 243 as in the diagram, Fig. 5, where a portion of the boiler appears at 24,

I claim 7 lqlhe combination with a centrifugal pump and its suction pipe, of means within s the suction pipe forming an outwardly opening pressurerelief valve normally closed in the ordinary actlon of the pump and arranged to open upon accumulatlon of excess pressure within the suction pipe, as described.

2. The combination with a centrifugal pump and its suction pipe, of a cylindrical fitting inserted in the suction pipe to form a part thereof, having a laterally projecting outlet tube and a spring controlled cover seated on the tube, forming an automatically opening pressure relief valve for the purpose described.

3. The combination with a centrifugal pump and its suction line, of a valve fitting within the suction line having an automatically opening pressure relief valve, and a, priming pipe connected to said fitting and also provided with a pressure relief valve as described.

4. The combination with a centrifugal pump and its suction line, of a priming pipe having a pressure relief valve and having connection with the suction line apart from the pump itself.

JOHN CORNELIUS HOGUE. 

